Five tips to master networking at #AMEDallas

AME | October 18, 2016

AME’s mission is to inspire a commitment to enterprise excellence through experiential learning by bringing people together to share, learn and grow. At our conference in Dallas next week, we’re offering our members and conference attendees another great opportunity to share learn and grow. As always, there will be numerous tours, workshops, keynotes and value stream presentations that will help you to gain industry knowledge and help you along your lean journey.

However, one of the biggest ways to positively impact your experience in Dallas is through networking. As #AMEDallas quickly approaches, we wanted to share with you five tips that will help you to master your networking experience at the largest lean conference in the world.

1) Use the conference app. Our conference app is a great tool to help you plan your experience in Dallas. Look up the sessions you’d like to attend and the speakers you’d like to hear and add them to your schedule. Make it a priority to reach out and connect to speakers and workshop leaders.

Also, if you select the “Attendees” icon in the #AMEDallas conference app, you have the opportunity to send out a quick note to other attendees and peers. Note: in order to do this, you need to be logged in.

2) Pay attention to the ribbons. As we do every year, attendees can attach ribbons to their conference badge. These ribbons are color coded and contain different areas of interest in the world of lean and continuous improvement. As you walk around the conference, look for the ribbons you identify with and commit to speaking with those individuals that share your interest. Some areas of focus include: Innovation, Enterprise Excellence, Lean Healthcare, Lean Office, Lean Product Development, Lean Culture, Visual Management and more.

3) Take advantage of networking events. Whether you attend #AMEDallas alone or with a group, there are numerous opportunities to meet new friends and share insights with your peers. If you are new to our conference, you’ll want to get a fun, interesting conference overview at our #ClubNuBee event on Sunday and Monday evenings at 5:00 p.m. Afterwards, you can sample Dallas cuisine and meet new friends at our Dine-Around, which also takes place on Sunday and Monday evenings at 6:30.

Throughout the conference, be sure to participate in the Selfie Networking Contest, where you’ll have the chance to win prizes. It’s a great way to break the ice as you engage and interact with your peers. Use #AMEDallasSelfie to submit your selfie on either Twitter and/or Instagram.

On Tuesday, enjoy a fun, interactive way to explore downtown Dallas - put your team together (or be placed on a team) for our AME-zing Race event.

The Boston Night Reception on Wednesday is an excellent way to learn about next year’s conference and sample food and beverages from the patriotic city of Boston, MA while meeting new friends.

Of course, you can always hang out in the Networking Lounge in the Learning Resource Center on the 2nd Floor. This is an area to sit down, relax and share ideas and insights with your peers.

4) Connect through social media. While at the conference in Dallas, share insights and photos on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to use the conference hashtag #AMEDallas. There’s also a hashtag for new attendees (#ClubNuBee).You can also use social media to connect with #AMEDallas speakers and other like-minded lean and continuous improvement professionals. This will help you connect with attendees at the conference and stay connected after it’s over.

5) Add value to other attendees’ experience. For some, networking can be a frustrating, awkward experience. Minimize this by focusing on how you can help other attendees. Listen to their pain points, help to solve an interesting challenge, connect them with someone in your network. As you help to add value to their experience, you’ll find that they will be more open to helping you solve a challenge, as well.

With numerous opportunities to share, learn and grow, we look forward to seeing you in Dallas next week!